SZ APPEAL

THE STUNNING Alfa Romeo SZ you see belongs to Unique

Cars Alfa Romeo aficionado Mary Lee. We asked her why she and her husband Victor would want such a car. “The SZ has always been a creature of curiosity for us, ever since we saw it featured in an Alfa Romeo calendar in 1990. Being a car that was never released here and with no internet back then, there wasn’t much else to go on. There wasn’t anything else like it back in the nineties and the rarity of being a low production model just added to its unique and quirky appeal. Fast forward to 2010 and we finally saw one in the flesh at Phillip Island and the fascination grew from there. “As it turned out, there was one available interstate the following year, so the decision to chase it up wasn’t hard at all. So, sight unseen other than a few photos, the deal was done – which luckily paid off. “The car needed a bit of TLC but overall it was pretty good. Plus there was plenty of time to get it cleaned up because of a five-year wait to qualify for the Victorian Club Permit Scheme for left-hand-drive cars.

“Since then the car has had a few cosmetic improvements – a full cut & polish, some rust spots cut out of the roof and C-pillar, plus a full wheel refurbishment last year. These days the SZ is a regular at club events and weekend cruises and it never fails to turn heads. “It’s not a classic beauty, but it drives better than it looks. The sound of the Busso 3.0-litre V6 is enough to make you forgive and forget about a few little characteristic creaks and rattles. It’s a small car and very nimble. The SZ was ahead of its time for road handling ability, with an urban myth of 1.4g cornering force.” After Mary had a quick blast in the Quadrifoglio she had this to say: “Sliding into the Giulia QV was a whole different experience. It’s not for the faint-hearted with serious performance on tap. I think my beaming smile said it all. Maybe it’s an Alfa thing…”